A Stay that is Efficient for Ramadan and Beyond at Courtyard by Marriott Melaka

Courtyard by Marriott Melaka recently invited Gaya Travel Magazine to experience the hotel’s Ramadan Retreat package. Honestly, the team has never stayed in this hotel during Ramadan (Muslim fasting month), so the team members were initially unsure of what to expect.

It turns out that on top of the rooms, the Ramadan Retreat package at Courtyard by Marriott Melaka entitles guests to two different meals (each meal is good for two persons) at Courtyard Café for each night they stay, making this package truly value for money. The meals comprise the extensive Singgah Selera Ramadan buffet dinner for iftar (Muslim breaking of fast) available from 6:30 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. (read more here: https://www.gayatravel.com.my/ver4/mouth-watering-affair-at-courtyard-by-marriott-melakas-singgah-selera-buffet/), and sahur (pre-dawn meal) that guests can take between 4:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. as preparation for fasting. The sahur offerings are similar and as hearty as the usual breakfast buffet spread that one would experience at Courtyard Cafe during the months outside Ramadan, providing sufficient nutrition and energy to those who fast.

As the team stepped into the hotel, the team quickly realised that the hotel is characterised by clean lines, double-height ceilings, generous scattering of natural light, and harmonious earthen tones with a neutral palette. Such look is in line with the hotel’s functionality, straightforwardness, and essentialist sensibilities, alongside attentive and friendly staff, who consistently attempt to meet guests’ needs at their level best.

The hotel lobby is remarkably spacious to facilitate the flow of human traffic. The curvilinear wicker sofas add uniqueness to the space. As a testament to the hotel’s inherent efficiency, guests who are parched can directly help themselves to the cool water from the dispenser placed on a standing cart close to the all-day dining Courtyard Cafe, lifts that quickly take guests to their rooms, and the laidback 1939 Lounge.

The double height ceilings and abundant natural light also extend into the guestrooms, where guests can indulge in plush bedding and crisp linens while watching on the 55-inch smart television. High-speed Wi-Fi is ubiquitous throughout the hotel, allowing guests to stay connected with their loved ones or continue their work without interruption. Room furnishing is kept minimal and fuss-free for easy maintenance and to avoid clutter.

The hotel is intentionally practical, fast-moving (made evident by the speedy lifts, which whisked the team up to the 28th floor from the ground level in seconds), reliable, and means business. The hotel’s spacious seventh floor – designated for staging private or business functions – is supported by state-of-the-art equipment, indicating the hotel’s credibility as a venue of choice for meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE) in Melaka.

As the team explored the hotel, the members found their favourite spot to be the huge circular ‘love seat’, located in the airy lounge area facing Melaka city’s skyline that greets guests as they get off from the lifts on the eighth floor. Mind you, only hotel guests can access this floor, besides the floors leading to their rooms. The lounge area – when approached from the lifts – is flanked by the 24-hour fitness centre on the right and the pathway leading towards the hotel’s swimming pool on the left.

What makes the swimming pool area special is the existence of another outdoorsy yet sheltered space for lounging next to the children’s pool. The space’s lightweight yet durable outdoor furniture is comfortable and inviting, ideal for frolicking and socialising.

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In short, the team’s stay at Courtyard by Marriott Melaka during Ramadan has been relaxing, to say the least, almost like a mini vacation. In truth, the team didn’t see much point of going out from the hotel, safe for the 15-minute walk after iftar to the popular Cendol Kampung Hulu for a spot of durian cendol (an iced sweet dessert that contains pandan-flavoured green rice flour jelly, coconut milk, and palm sugar syrup) and comforting pastries at Malaiqa by Gula Cakery. Those who are up for it can even walk to Bazar Raya on Jalan Kota in Bandar Hilir – another 10-minute stroll – to check out the various products on sale from 1 March until 30 March 2025 in preparation for Eid ul Fitr celebration. For good measure, the bustling Melaka Riverfront, Jonker Street, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as St. Paul’s Hill and the Stadthuys (also known as the Red Square, famous for its red exterior and red clocktower built in 1650) are a stone’s throw away from Jalan Kota.

So, escape your routine during Ramadan by packing your bag today and heading down to Melaka to take advantage of Courtyard by Marriott Melaka’s lovely Ramadan Retreat! But if you can’t do so during this year’s Ramadan, don’t worry because the hotel will still be there onwards, eagerly waiting for you with open arms…

For more info, visit courtyardmelaka.com.

Gaya Travel team members express our heartfelt gratitude to Courtyard by Marriott Melaka for making their stay possible and experience smooth-sailing.

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Juhan Kamaruddin

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